“How can my pension be a force for good?”

Ellen Tout takes her head out of the sand to tackle the complicated and daunting world of pensions to uncover how our money can help fund work that protects the planet

WHEN I HEAR THE WORD pension, I immediately switch off. I have never been a numbers person and have to admit that even after being self-employed for three years, I have yet to set one up! However, when I read that having a sustainable pension can reduce your carbon footprint 27 times more than giving up flying and becoming a vegan combined,* my interest was piqued. I am not alone: in research, 64 per cent of people said they want to know that their money is not funding damage to the environment.**

Of all the money invested in the UK, approximately half comes from our pension savings† – and that money can be used as a positive force, or a negative one. In most cases, your employer enrols you in a default pension. If you work for a company that pledges to be sustainable, does it put your money where its mouth is? The majority of pension companies invest your dosh by backing big businesses – financing industries such as fossil fuels, tobacco, arms and deforestation. But your money could be invested in clean energy, green transport, reforestation and community projects.

If you were the one trading, where would you put your cash? Our pension is there to make

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a return so that we have an income when we stop working – but that doesn’t mean it can’t earn money by investing in a sustainable future.

The first step is contacting your employer to find out who your pension provider is. If you are self-employed, check this yourself. Next, speak to your provider and identify which fund your money is in. With this information, you can research what that specific fund finances. This will be chosen by your provider – earning them money and a say in how that business is run. If you’re not happy, tell your provider and enquire whether they have alternative funds. You could also ask if your company owner would be open to choosing a green provider or you could switch yourself. Make sure that you talk to your employer about this and are comfortable with the deal they offer.

Go to makemymoneymatter.co.uk to sign the petition. If you are ready to switch, I recommend Good With Money’s online Good Guide to Pensions at good-with-money.com – a free service. The bottom line is that where your money is invested should align with your values and the future that you want to help create.

For green advice, follow @Ellen_tout on Instagram and Twitter and go to psychologies.co.uk/real-eco. See makemymoneymatter.co.uk; shareaction.org/pensions

Got a sustainability question or worry? Email our Eco Living Editor ellen.tout@psychologies.co.uk with ‘Eco worrier’ in the subject line

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